OK, so I’ve volunteered to get fitted with the GPS unit to track my winter cycling habits, and even though I haven’t yet had a reply from the planner researching how to accommodate winter cyclists, I thought I ought to start off on the right foot for deep-winter cycling, you know, just so I’d already have the momentum in case they do ask me to take part in the study.

So, I packed my basil winter saddle-bags and slung my purse over my shoulder, and headed out in my big motorcycle books (with thermal socks inside), tights, a thick skirt that came down over the top of the boots, a t-shirt and sweater, my winter jacket that covers my hips, and my faux-fur flap-hat.

And I froze. My hands, face and torso were warm enough, but my skirt kept riding up and my legs got all tight from the cold. It was -11 C when I left the house, and then there’s the wind chill on top of that… so it was about -20 C with that factored in.

It was the first ride I’ve done in which I’ve thought to myself, “You have gone barking mad.”

I stopped on the way to work to get a coffee (and WARM UP a bit). That made things much better. Still, I was really annoyed when I parked at school and had my bike topple over when I removed the stuff from one side of the saddle-bags before I emptied the other. Note to self: always empty the side opposite the kickstand first. Arg.

Teaching was all good. Honours seminar. My field. 25 students. Should be a nice way to spend the next 12 weeks.

The ride home, in the dark, which I expected would be even more chilling was, in fact, more pleasant than the ride in today. The roads were quieter, and the lights especially icy in the inky black of night… the hum of my tires and my dynamo lighting my way home providing a reminder that home was only a few, short minutes away.